A Theory on Godhood: An Overlord Story

Chapter 40: Players on the Board

Nazarick, tenth floor

Momonga watched as Punitto Moe grumbled to himself, wringing the newspaper in his leafy grip. His yellow eyes were a dark shade of orange, bordering on red. The source of his ire, Touch Me, was kneeling in front of him on a floor covered in rice.

A traditional Japanese punishment, meant to curb the unruly behavior of misbehaving students or children. To the heteromorphs of Ainz Ooal Gown, the pain normally inflicted from the rice was nonexistent.

But the message the rice provided was clear: somebody was in deep trouble.

"So let me make sure I have this straight," Punitto started, his voice deathly calm, "you, without telling a single soul besides Sebas, snuck out of the tomb to go visit E-Rantel."

Touch Me spoke, his tone also flat. "Sounds about right.

"You helped the survivors there, made contact with Gazef, got roped into helping him and his peons, and then fought off a group of people who were not only able to catch up to you, but also had the potential to hurt and kill you. Mind you, we still have no idea you're gone, so you can't expect any back-up without breaking your cover."

"Yes. An unforeseen consequence, but it happened."

The Death vine strangled his newspaper tighter. "Oh yes, it definitely happened. Not only did a fight break out, but an entire city sank into the ground! You were forced to use your own trump card because these people made you desperate!"

His eyes fully turned red, Momonga wincing from the memory of his own punishment at his friend's hands. "Punitto, perhaps we should take into account everything that's happened so far-"

"STAY OUT OF THIS MOMONGA!" Punitto snapped, "YOU'RE NOT GONNA SMOOTH TALK HIS WAY OUT OF THIS ONE, ESPECIALLY NOT WHEN I'M CONVINCED YOU AND ALBEDO ARE COVERING FOR SOMEBODY ELSE!"

Unfortunately, the keen-eyed strategist was right. Momonga was sure that if it weren't for Albedo, he would've spilled the details of Tabula Smaragdina, Small Cuttlefish, and Tempest Aizawa's own adventure with Nfirea.

Albedo was present in the throne room as well, standing just a little too close for Momonga's comfort. Her behavior and flirting over the past week made it no secret how she felt about him, made all the more potent by Ulbert, Whitebrim, Bukubukuchagama, and Peroroncino's meddling.

She was a shining beacon of ethereal beauty as always, in her pure white dress and angelic wings and devilish horns. She watched with incredible sorrow at Touch Me's kneeling form, but dared not speak out.

A few of the maids were also present, but they were less restrained in their feelings on the punishment. One with curly, princess-like hair openly wept into the shoulders of another with bright-red hair.

The first strike was a thunder crack, thudding against Touch Moe's right pauldron. He didn't even flinch, and all of Punitto's rage poured out.

SMACK!

"TO THINK, WE COULD'VE LOST YOU BECAUSE YOU DECIDED YOU NEEDED ALONE TIME TO DEAL WITH YOUR GRIEF! YOU WENT UP AGAINST A CLEARLY HOSTILE FORCE, ONE WITH THE MEANS TO MATCH YOU OF ALL PEOPLE, AND THAT WANTED TO CAPTURE YOU FOR THEIR OWN REASONS!"

SMACK!

"WHAT IF YOU DIED, TOUCH ME?! OR WORSE YET, THEY HAD SOME METHOD OF INTERROGATION THAT WAS ABLE TO REVEAL THE LOCATION OF NAZARICK?! IF THEY COULD GET YOU, THEN GODDAMMIT THEY'D BE ABLE TO ROUND THE REST OF US UP TOO!"

SMACK!

"NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THE NATIVES SAW YOU COMPLETELY DESTROY AN ENTIRE CITY! WHAT THE FUCK KIND OF IMAGE IS THAT GOING TO PAINT US AS, HUH?! I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE THE REPORT GAZEF IS GOING TO HAVE TO GIVE TO HIS HIGHER UPS! IF YOU WERE HOPING FOR AN ALLIANCE, I'M NINETY-NINE PERCENT SURE THAT JUST WENT UP IN SMOKE!"